What to know about Mayor Johnson's Hail Mary to keep Bears in Chicago

What to know about Mayor Johnson's Hail Mary to keep Bears in Chicago

As the Bears decide where they'll build their next stadium, Chicago wants to stay in the mix.

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Mayor Brandon Johnson will make his way to Springfield to talk taxes, budgets, and the Bears with state lawmakers.

Johnson said the Bears are "foolish" to leave the lakefront.

The mayor said he has meetings with lawmakers on Wednesday and Thursday.

SEE ALSO | Gov. Pritzker says he wants Bears stadium deal done 'as fast as possible' as team meets with NFL

As it stands, the Bears have long said the two locations they're considering for a new stadium are in Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana.

"The infrastructure that they are even discussing in the suburbs, those infrastructure needs have been present on the lakefront for a very long time," Johnson said. "It's the top tourist destination anywhere in the state of Illinois. It's to the economic advantage for all of Illinois to support the economic engine of the state of Illinois."

The "mega projects bill" that would pave the way for the Bears to build a new stadium in Arlington Heights is not on the Senate's agenda for consideration this week.

RELATED | 'Megaprojects' bill passes Illinois House, Bears say changes needed for Arlington Heights stadium

The "mega projects," or Payment in Lieu of Taxes, bill would freeze for decades the property tax bill for the Bears for a stadium proposed for the old Arlington Racetrack property that the team owns. In exchange, the Bears would make a Payment in Lieu of Taxes to the local taxing bodies.

Illinois lawmakers' spring session ends May 31.

The Bears have said they plan to share an update on their new stadium plans by late spring or early summer.

ABC7 Chicago's Craig Wall will travel to Springfield Tuesday night to cover the mayor's trip, which he is expected to preview during a press briefing on Tuesday.